Lachlan passed away in January 2010. As a memorial, this site remains as he left it.Therefore the information on this site may not be current or accurate and should not be relied upon.
For more information follow this link

"Hi Lox,
The wonder drug is B6 (pyridoxin). Vitamin C helps to metabolize it,
hence they are often sold in combination. Best taken before big session,
but just after and before going to bed certainly helps a lot. This is
established science as opposed to "back-bar" theorizing. The B6 system
is temporarily damaged by excessive alcohol. Water afterwards helps too,
due to diuretic effect of alcohol (which is often mistaken for "true"
hangover due to mild poisoning). A few important points re dosage at
http://www.americahealth.com/B6.html
However, I do have a "back-bar" theory of my own to contribute,
which is that sulfur dioxide and sodium sulfite sterilizing agents (found
in all cheap beer and wine) are responsible for a lot of the world's
hangovers. It is forbidden in German beer (hence the beauty of Beck's) and
generally absent in Belgian and Dutch beer. All of these give me,
personally, much less hangover. Australian and British beers are of course
hideous hangover-inducers, though in my experience this is not something to
assert too loudly in an Australian or British pub..
Skol!"

Further Information -

>From The Literature
>-------------------
>
>In the liver, the majority of alcohol is oxidized to acetaldehyde by the
>enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase and the co-enzyme nicotinamide adenosine
>diphosphate (NAD)
>
> CH3CH2OH + NAD ----> CH3CHO + NADH
>
>The acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) is then oxidized by the enzyme acetaldehyde
>dehydrogenase to acetate:
>
> CH3CHO + NAD ----> CH3COO- + NADH
>
>Finally, the acetate is released from the liver and oxidized peripherally.
>
>Surges of alcohol do not allow the NAD to keep up, thus leading to an
>excess of acetaldehyde and acetic acid in the body. Acetaldehyde is toxic
>while acetic acid leads to acidosis. Acetaldehyde also competes for the
>plasma carrier of vitamin B6.
>
>In addition to these biochemical effects, there is also rapid water loss
>(diuresis) during the first few hours of alcohol ingestion, due to
>decreased secretion of anti-diuretic hormone.
>
>**********
>
>How to Spot Sulfites in food and booze.
>--------------------------------------
>
>Sulfites are common food additives used as preservatives and to prevent
>discoloration of foods. They are most commonly encountered in dried fruits
>and in wine. People with asthma, allergies, or a shortage of the liver
>enzyme sulfite oxidase can suffer severe reactions.
>
>Sulfites have the following Food Additive Codes:
>
>220 Sulphur dioxide
>221 Sodium sulfite
>222 Sodium bisulfite
>223 Sodium metabisulfite
>224 Potassium metabisulfite

chemistry and biochemistry links to effects of alcohol on the human body

"The most glaring omission from Mr Letwin's speech – and from the
one delivered by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, the previous week –
concerns the most dangerous drug in Britain. Neither the minister nor
the man who would be minister saw fit to refer to alcohol. In Simon
Hughes' speech to the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, alcohol
was mentioned twice but not in any detail. Is there a lack of awareness
across the political spectrum or is this a case of group denial? Just
this week the charity Alcohol Concern revealed that unsafe drinking
among young women doubled in the last decade. More than 30,000 deaths
each year are attributable to alcohol misuse. When it comes to crime the
figures are astonishing: alcohol is a factor in 60-70 per cent of
murders, 75 per cent of stabbings and 50 per cent of fights and domestic
assaults. Every year there are almost 1.5 million victims of violent
attacks committed by people under the influence of booze. Focusing on
drugs and drug-related crime alone is wrong-headed."

If you are feeling sociable, my new E-mail address is
[address now invalid] (replace the *at* with an @ ) . Old E-mail
addresses might be giving forwarding or reliability problems. Please
use clear titles in any Email - otherwise messages might accidentally
get put in the SPAM list due to large amount of junk Email being
received. So, if you don't get an expected reply to any messages, please
try again.